Toronto – The Ford government’s plan to have private stores sell cannabis has suffered another setback, prompting OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas to again call for a reliable public option.

Thomas is reacting to media reports that Ontario’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has confirmed that seven of the 25 licensed cannabis operators have had their $50,000 letters of credit yanked for still not being open.

“If the premier had stuck to the previous government’s plan to leave cannabis sales in the hands of the LCBO, we would have had dozens of stores open last fall,” said Thomas.

“Instead we have a bunch of fly by night operators who are totally unreliable, picked through some half baked lottery.

OPSEU spearheaded a campaign last fall to demand a responsible public option for cannabis sales and more than 70 municipalities agreed and rejected the government’s scheme.

Thomas pointed out that polling has showed Ontarians would feel a lot more comfortable if cannabis sales were placed in the hands of proven experts like the LCBO, which has staffed trained to make sure cannabis isn’t sold to teenagers.

He says it’s time for Premier Ford to abandon his failed plan of using private vendors to sell cannabis.

“I wonder what’s next?” Thomas asked. Will the premier start scouring Etobicoke strip malls to see if he can find some of his friends from the old days to take over some of these cannabis licenses? Or worse is he purposely supporting underground market activity?”

“This is why Ontarians should loudly demand a responsible cannabis plan and just say no to Doug’s.”